[Differential characteristics and survival of women with acute myocardial infarction. Registry of Acute Myocardial Infarctions of the City of Valencia (RICVAL). Researchers of the RICVAL].
OBJECTIVE
The prevalence of women who are admitted to the hospital after acute myocardial infarction is lower to that of men and their prognosis is worse. The reason for these differences is unclear. We studied the demographic and historical variables, the evolution, treatment and early survival in 269 women included in the Register of Acute Myocardial Infarctions of the City of Valencia (RICVAL) and compared them with the 855 men included in the same Register.


METHODS
Register of patients admitted into a Coronary Care Unit in the City of Valencia since December, 1st, 1993 until November 30th, 1994.


RESULTS
23.9% of the patients were women with a mean age of 71.9 +/- 9 years; 46.8% of them were diabetics, 55.4% hypertensives, and 6.7% smokers. The women arrived for treatment later than men and 34.9% of them were thrombolised. The incidence in women of severe heart failure (Killip III and IV) was 40.1% and the mortality 29.7%. In women with thrombolytic treatment the mortality was 29.8%. In the logistic regression model performed, female sex predicted a higher mortality rate (odds ratio [OR] = 1.30; confidence interval [CI], 1.05-1.61).


CONCLUSIONS
Early mortality in women after acute myocardial infarction is higher than in men in the RICVAL Register. The longer delay in initiating medical care and thrombolysis might be the cause for the higher proportion of heart failure among women and explain their worse prognosis after an acute myocardial infarction compared to men.
Echánove
I
I
Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital General Universitario de Valencia.
Cabadés
A
A
Velasco
J A
JA
Pomar
F
F
Valls
F
F
Francés
M
M
Valor
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011379:Prognosis; D012042:Registries; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D013030:Spain; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D013997:Time Factors
Características diferenciales y supervivencia del infarto agudo de miocardio en la mujer. Registro de infartos agudos de miocardio de la ciudad de Valencia (RICVAL). Investigadores del RICVAL.